nts" of a continent which
once connected them with Western Europe and Northern Spain. Lyell's
"Principles," Edition XI., Volume II., page 410. See Forbes, op. cit.)
on the same grounds as you had, and he made some answer, which partially
satisfied me, but really I am so stupid I cannot remember it. He
insisted strongly on the fewness of the species absolutely peculiar to
the Azores--most of the non-European species being common to Madeira. I
had thought that a good sprinkling were absolutely peculiar. Till I saw
him last Wednesday I thought he had not a leg to stand on in his geology
about his post-Miocene land; and his reasons, upon reflection, seem
rather weak: the main one is that there are no deposits (more recent
than the Miocene age) on the Miocene strata of Malta, etc., but I feel
pretty sure that this cannot be trusted as evidence that Malta must have
been above water during all the post-Miocene period. He had one other
reason, to my mind still less trustworthy. I had also written to Forbes,
before your letter, objecting to the Sargassum (319/3. Edward Forbes
supposed that the Sargassum or Gulf-weed represents the littoral
sea-weeds of a now submerged continent. "Mem. Geol. Survey Great
Britain," Volume I., 1846, page 349. See Lyell's "Principles," II., page
396, Edition XI.), but apparently on wrong grounds, for I could see no
reason, on the common view of absolute creations, why one Fucus should
not have been created for the ocean, as well as several Confervae for
the same end. It is really a pity that Forbes is quite so speculative:
he will injure his reputation, anyhow, on the Continent; and thus will
do less good. I find this is the opinion of Falconer, who was with us
on Sunday, and was extremely agreeable. It is wonderful how much
heterogeneous information he has about all sorts of things. I the more
regret Forbes cannot more satisfactorily prove his views, as I heartily
wish they were established, and to a limited extent I fully believe they
are true; but his boldness is astounding. Do I understand your letter
right, that West Africa (319/4. This is of course a misunderstanding.)
and Java belong to the same botanical region--i.e., that they have many
non-littoral species in common? If so, it is a sickening fact: think of
the distance with the Indian Ocean interposed! Do some time answer me
this. With respect to polymorphism, which you have been so very kind as
to give me so much information on, I am quite